Practice

The idea that having to deal with COVID-driven social restrictions, concerns about illness, and mask mandates could cause problems with the public’s mental health is no longer theoretical. An article just published by JAMA Network Open reveals that some individuals started to have struggles as early as spring of 2020, the earliest time period covered by the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Civic Life and Public Health Survey. Researchers assessed psychological distress in four waves: April 7–13, …

On the one hand, it makes sense that employers and school systems want to ensure that people who have been out due to COVID-19 are in the clear before they report back for work or classes. On the other hand, the fact that they’re requiring a clearance note from a physician before allowing them back in the door is proving to be a logistical nightmare for many practices. Multiple health systems and county health departments …

It took a relatively long time for urgent care centers to get their fair share of COVID-19 testing supplies and vaccines. Once they did, they became an essential contributor to fighting the pandemic. At least one urgent care operator found out the hard way just how easy it is to be thrown back into those dark days—and they’ve only got themselves to blame. The operator, which will remain nameless, found its test kits dwindling and …

We don’t have to tell you that these are hard times to be working in an urgent care center. Staffing levels have been tight for years, and the increasing volume of patients flocking to every available outlet for testing or treatment while staff members may be going out for extended sick time due to their own infection is bringing the situation to a head. John Davidhizar, MD told KBTX TV news in Bryan, TX as …

Whether your operation is having staffing issues or not, certainly you’re aware that many urgent care centers (as well as practices in other settings) are short on workers. Given that the United States is also suffering another surge in COVID-19 cases, this time driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant, that staffing “issue” is on the verge of becoming a crisis. Most recently, CityMD announced it has temporarily closed 19 locations in the metropolitan New …

With the Omicron variant now the most common form of COVID-19 in the United States—and with the best way to reduce risk being fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus, as JUCM News has reported—urgent care centers can expect to see more patients seeking that third shot (if they’re not turning up already). That’s only one reason you’re likely to see volumes rise, however, as the Omicron virus has many symptomatic and nonsymptomatic people panicking …

Recognizing that urgent care centers provide excellent, cost-effective care efficiently and safely (and that this flu season could be especially perilous), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is recommending that vets who participate in the VA health system visit their local UC center to get a no-cost flu shot. Urgent care operators can ensure they’re on the radar by taking the following steps, outlined by the VA: Determine which Community Care Network (CCN) region you …

With Thanksgiving family get-togethers over, college kids have gone back to campus and younger children are back in class, ready to share not only amusing holiday anecdotes but new cases of COVID-19, as well. Elementary schools in some areas are already reporting a jump in new cases compared with weeks leading up to the long weekend, practically ensuring that more cases will follow as the 14-day incubation period unfolds. Some state and local health departments …

There continue to be individuals walking among us who don’t believe that the COVID-19 vaccine is effective and safe. And probably even more who don’t think wearing a mask reduces risk of infection. If patients or staff complain to you that it’s all overkill with no benefit to be had, share the results of two new studies indicating that both vaccination and mask wearing are effective tools to slow the spread of the virus. (This …

Most Americans with typical jobs will be at home or visiting loved ones (possibly for the first time in years) over Thanksgiving weekend. Urgent care professionals do not have typical jobs, of course, so it’s possible that many will be reporting to work ready to care for patients who can’t wait for other medical practices to open and really don’t need to go to the hassle and expense of going to the emergency room for …